U.S. inflation · 1987–1989
$100 in 1987 has the same buying power as
$109
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 9.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.48% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $109 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $9.15 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1987 → 1989 | $109 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1987 | $91.61 |
Between 1987 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 113.6 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 9.2%, which works out to an average of 4.48% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1987 bought what $0.92 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1987 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.09 |
| $5.00 | $5.46 |
| $10.00 | $10.92 |
| $20.00 | $21.83 |
| $50.00 | $54.58 |
| $100 | $109 |
| $500 | $546 |
| $1,000 | $1,092 |
| $5,000 | $5,458 |
| $10,000 | $10,915 |
| $100,000 | $109,155 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,091,549 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1987 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1987 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.48% | $109 |
| Medical care | 7.13% | $115 |
| Food | 4.99% | $110 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.47% | $109 |
| Transportation | 4.05% | $108 |
| Housing | 3.78% | $108 |
| Apparel | 3.55% | $107 |
| Energy | 3.17% | $106 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1987: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1987 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $104 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $109 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1987 to 1989: $100 is worth $109 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1987 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1989/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.